


Shield of my Heart

by seaofolives



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Fluff, M/M, POV Gladiolus Amicitia, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26252218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaofolives/pseuds/seaofolives
Summary: “Ahhh, stop this!” Noctis snapped, his fists landing like drum beats on the car seat. “Iʼm tired, okay? I donʼt wanna think about Ignisʼ stupid lessons!”“You were doing great, though,” Gladio laughed.Noctis shifted closer to him to glare at him from the side, his face on the back of the passengerʼs seat. “Are you my Shield? Do you wanna be my Shield?”“Weʼd probably end up hating each other if I became your Shield,” Gladio chuckled.(au where everything is the same except ignis is the shield of the king and also umbra might be a corgi. written as a one-shot, split into chapters for ease of reading.)
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

“A king,” His Majesty began, his kind voice filling the vacuous space of the throne room, illuminated by the morning light, “must never stand still. Whatever sacrifices he must make, he must keep moving onwards.” That gentle face that leads their proud nation turned away from the artful ceiling to look at him. “However, even as a king, he might stray from his path because of his worries. Should that happen,” he stepped back… 

And revealed the young boy he often saw running away from the Hall of History and his trail of attendants, “I want you to stand by Noctis’ side as his friend—and as his big brother.” Despite his shining recommendation, the boy Noctis couldnʼt even look him in the eye when he approached…or more like half-stomped his way over. 

The king had to nudge him closer, even when the prince tried to escape him. “Please,” he said, “take care of my son.” That was the only time Noctis could look at him, head tilted low, eyes full of uncertainty and wariness. Poor kid. Maybe heʼs never had friends before? 

If he was going to be the first, then heʼd better make a good impression. “Hey,” he said, stretching out his hand, “Iʼm Gladio.”

—

At 6:15 in the morning, he was officially cutting it too close. So with one last stretch of his arms and back, Gladio got up, rolled up his sleeping mat to be stowed away and made his way to their cramped kitchen just through the sliding door. He put the rice on, washed the dishes left soaking in the sink, then opened up their mini fridge to see that it was nearly empty except for a few leftovers that could be reheated for tonight.

Which made him sigh and card through his schedule while he grabbed a couple of eggs from the door and the last of their soup stock from the freezer. Everything came together in the frying pan along with a few shakes of sugar. 

He didnʼt wait for the food to finish before he was already calling out to his sister stirring and groaning in their bedroom. “Iris, I canʼt afford to be late! Hurry up and get dressed.” 

“Morning, Gladdy,” she mumbled from within. 

She sorted herself out and then their bedroom while he laid out their breakfast on the long folding table facing the kitchen—white rice, rolled omelets, pickled vegetables and then some soup. While she washed the dishes, he took his chance to get dressed for the day. 

By 7, they were finally rolling out of the basement parking, looking stylish in the Citadel-issued car. 

“So whatʼs Noctʼs breakfast this morning?” Iris asked from the passengerʼs seat, looking through her school bag on her lap. 

“Ham and egg sandwich in a multigrain bagel, some salad he wonʼt eat anyway, then fruits and tea. Sounds good, huh?” Gladio grinned at his sister who was unresponsive. “Hey, you left something?” 

“Mmm, I shouldnʼt have…” Iris hummed. 

Gladio clicked his tongue. “Iris, tell me now if we gotta turn back—” 

“Found it!” Well, it was more like a _them_. Iris looked triumphantly at the compact mirror and the pink lipstick in her hand. 

“Hey—cʼmon, where are ya goinʼ, anyway?” Gladio signaled right and took the turn, throwing frowns at his sisterʼs direction. “Itʼs just school.” 

“Yeah, but itʼs the _royal_ school.” Iris cracked the mirror open and started to spread a layer of light color on her lower lip. “Just because my big brother works for the prince doesnʼt mean I donʼt _have_ to make an effort to fit in.” 

“You sure youʼre just trying to fit in?” Gladio raised a brow at her. “Youʼve got exams coming up soon.” 

“I knooow, Gladdy,” Iris sighed, rolling her eyes. “Seriously, Iʼm just doing this for myself!” 

He dropped her off at the corner near her school (after she hugged his arm tightly) so he could take a shortcut towards his next stop. Luckily for him, his next business wasnʼt a morning head so there was no way he was going to be late. 

Except, of course, on special occasions where a certain Messenger dog had a certain message to deliver and decided to wait for someone with the keycard to open the door for him. Gladio recognized his black fur right from the corner of the rich wood-paneled corridor and greeted him with a joyful, “Umbra!” Bringing the canine pet out of his log form and onto his paws, bouncing and wagging his tail as he approached. 

“Ooh, at least someone hereʼs happy to see me,” Gladio laughed, crouching so he could give Umbraʼs neck a few fond scratches while he rubbed him on his side. “Howʼve you been, eh, buddy? Still a good boy, hm? Still a good boy?” Sometimes, he liked to fancy that Umbra deliberately came early on these mornings for the petting. 

As soon as he opened the door, though, the dogʼs favorite person had shifted and he would be bounding through the living room, barking for his attention. He, at least, wonʼt earn the ire of the sleeping prince. 

“Umbra!” Noctis chirruped with equal delight. The rest of his words fell into a hush while Gladio washed his hands, grabbed his apron off the side of the fridge and got started with his chargeʼs breakfast. 

When he came out, he was already dressed for the day—or so Noctis would have him think. 

“Aw, seriously?” Gladio had just put down his plate on his dining table, then. “Thatʼs what youʼre wearing to work?” 

“What?” Noctis shrugged, pulling his seat back. Umbra was nowhere to be seen by now. “Itʼs a new hoodie!” 

“And that damned shirt you wear every week!” 

“Itʼs comfortable!” Noctis uncovered his teacup and took a careful sip. “I donʼt have to meet Dad, anyway, so I donʼt have to wear…” He gestured to his retainer. “A blazer, a button shirt. Leather shoes.” 

“No oneʼs stoppinʼ ya,” Gladio chuckled, untying his apron from the back. 

“ _Iʼm_ stopping myself.” 

“What happened to that other jacket you just got, anyway?” Gladio made his way back to the kitchen to hang his apron. “The black one with the nice buttons? Thatʼd look more princely.” 

“Yeah, I…” Noctis scratched the back of his neck. “One of the buttons popped.” Finally, he picked up one of the bagels and started to eat. Gave it an approving nod and noise. “I twist-tied it, just like you taught me.” 

“Ha!” Gladio grinned at what he said, returning to the table. “See? Those little life hacks I keep teaching ya are gonna save your life one day. Remember that time we cleaned your suedes with bread?” 

“Oh yeah,” Noctis agreed with a cheerful smile. “That was fun.” 

“Your first science experiment,” Gladio chuckled. “Anyway, let me take that jacket home. Iʼll stitch it up for ya.” 

“Nah, itʼs fine. Iʼll do it myself.” 

“Yeah, first of all, when?” Gladio raised his thumb to count. “Second of all, your stitches are never clean. I gotta redo them all, anyway, so I might as well do it myself.” 

Noctis seethed at him. “Why do you always have to make everything a competition? I said lʼd do it, right!” 

Gladio pointed to his plate. “Finish your breakfast if you donʼt wanna be late. Youʼre one week away from winning our bet.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Noctis grumbled. He finished his bagel. “Gladio, can you make those racoon noodles tomorrow?” 

“Errr, Iʼll try.” Gladio scratched his head. “You do know Iʼm not the one who makes your menu, right? I just cook it.” 

“Well, you donʼt have to tell him…” 

“Iʼll figure it out,” Gladio promised him. 

He dropped him off at the restaurant where he worked part-time before his 9am shift, and then finally it was off to the other parts of his work for him. 

“Gladiolus.” 

At 3pm, armed with his laptop, Gladio was one last meeting away from his final task in the Citadel when the unexpected voice of the king had summoned him back to the corridor heʼd just vacated. 

He did a full-360 on his heels, hurried towards his liege and his most trusted adviser and did a full bow to greet him. “Your Majesty.” 

“How is Noctis?” The same question he asked him every time they met, even though it had been years since Noctis had moved out of the Citadel. But as a father who couldnʼt always be with his son, Gladio figured he always found new things to be concerned about when the nation gave him the time to do it. “Is he adjusting well to his new job?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Gladio cleared his throat as he answered. “Heʼs still having trouble getting up for the opening shift but,” with a little pump of his fist, he added, “we havenʼt been late in two weeks.” Baby steps. “Iʼll train him to get up earlier soon.” 

Regis spared him a little smile when he nodded his approval. “This lifestyle is a little different from what is normal for a member of the royal family. However, it cannot be denied that the lessons it teaches are valuable.” 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” 

“Perhaps, one day, I ought to drop by for a quick visit.” Regis turned to his companion and smiled. “What do you say, Clarus? I hear their urchin is divine.” For no reason at all, Gladio held his breath. 

“If you value your relationship with your son,” Clarus lifted a brow at his sovereign, “you wonʼt. Trust me on this.” 

Regis exhaled a graceful sigh. “I suppose I wonʼt have the time, anyway.” He gave a nod to Gladio to dismiss him from the conversation before he went off with Clarus. Gladio bowed low. “Do I take it that you had a similar experience with your son Ignis?” 

“Heʼs as dutiful as they come,” Gladio heard Clarus answering as they marched on down the corridor, “but he _is_ in his early 20s. You remember how we were when we were that age.” 

That little eavesdrop was enough to carry Gladio through another boring session between two council members trying to out-eager each other. And then finally, it was time to bring Noctis to the Citadel for the best part of his day. 

“Hey, look whoʼs here!” Gladio laughed as a blonde man slipped into the passengerʼs seat and bumped fists with him. “‘sup, Prompto?” 

“Ah, you know,” Prompto tried to look cool when he did a little shrug, “just taking a trip around town!” 

“Heʼs coming with us to training,” Noctis supplied, sliding lower in the backseat to lay comfortably on the headrest. “Then weʼre having dinner at my place.”

“Wonder what the menu is tonight?” his best friend thought out loud, rubbing his hands together. 

“Well, letʼs find out, huh?” With a grin, Gladio pulled out of the backstreet and made his way back to the Citadel. 

He could barely keep himself on the ground as they walked into the locker room where he helped Noctis change into more functional clothes, and then Prompto with setting up his camera. He wanted to try a different technique with capturing motion, he said. 

“So, dʼyou think you can take photos of him and send me?” Gladio muttered to their photographer friend as they stepped into the training hall. 

“Who? Noct?” Prompto asked, full of innocence. 

Gladio shrugged. “Yeah, sure. But also…” 

“Good afternoon, Noct. Ready for another bout?” 

But also, and more to the point: _him_. The man who greeted them with his long leg stretched up and out against the wall, folded tight to put his face on his knee, showing them what a perfect body could do. He did this for several counts before he straightened up and watched the rest of the crew walking in. 

And smiled as he added, “Hello, Gladio and Prompto.” 

“Ignis, ‘sup!” Prompto responded with a high wave. Gladio, for his part, chose something that he hoped look cooler. 

“Will you two be joining us?” 

“Nah, weʼll just…” Gladio gestured to one of the benches by the walls. “Weʼre just gonna sit in and watch you kick Noctʼs ass.” 

“Hey,” Noctis snarled at his adviser from the middle of the room, exercising his weapon-summoning skills. 

“As a proud member of House Scientia,” Ignis began, pulling the zipper of his hoodie down, the middle emblazoned by the insignia of the Crownsguard, “I do approve of that plan. However, as trainer and future Shield of the King…” Turning his back, he divested of his jacket, and revealed the full tattoo of a predatory bird spread out on his back under his racerback shirt. This was always Gladioʼs favorite part of the day, the part that got his heart soaring like the same bird. “I do hope he proves me wrong.” Gods, just look at the span of those arms as he stretched out his wings! The razor-sharp cut of his shoulders and waist…

“Seriously, wasnʼt there a certain someone who said itʼs rude to talk about someone as if they werenʼt in the room?” In particular, Noctis eyed Gladio with a scowl on his lips. 

“Not like weʼre pretending you ainʼt here, man,” Gladio replied, getting comfortable beside Prompto on their bench. “Anyway,” he showed him his thumbs, “do your best!” 

“Whose side are you on, really?” Noctis muttered. 

“Noct,” Prompto readied his camera, “make sure you look cool, okay!” 

“Hey, why are you just telling me this!” the prince snapped. 

“Well, between the two of us, I certainly donʼt recall myself being the one with a habit of falling flat on my face,” Ignis rejoined them, reaching out to the air to bring forth his polearm, sending another shiver up Gladioʼs arms. He felt like, and probably was, his number 1 fan in this room. The kind who would make expansive case studies of why he chose the polearm as his first weapon of choice on that hour in that day and that season and weather. 

With dancing steps towards Noctis, and Gladioʼs heart, Ignis whirled and slashed with his spear to put him in his preferred stance. “Forms first. After youʼve warmed up, weʼll spar.” He nudged at his glasses. 

“Then youʼre _really_ gonna get it!” Noctis cut the air to grab his sword. 

They must have gone on for the better part of the hour. While the fighting forms were already entertaining enough to watch, both of them moving in perfectly rehearsed snappy beats, it was in the real match-up that both sides truly came alive with the fire of competition. 

“Maaan, they really look so cool when they fight,” Prompto swooned. Noctis had just slashed with his sword, then spun, then brought out his shield to parry the aerial strike of Ignisʼ spear. But somehow, Ignis managed to turn the shield to his favor by using it as a pedestal of sorts to flip himself to Noctisʼ back and cut at his knees with his dagger. 

“Seriously,” Gladio sighed back, face in his hand. Noctis warped towards Ignisʼ side and would have cut through him with his sword if the man hadnʼt flipped his long form back, arching gracefully onto his feet. “Heʼs so perfect.”

“Huh?” Prompto glanced at him from his camera. “Who is?” 

They ended in a tie, and then Ignis went on to point out Noctisʼ good and bad parts with a summary of what they would do for the next training session. “Weʼll practice on your aerial defenses,” Ignis informed the prince, pressing his towel to his cheeks. Gladio kept catching himself watching the sweat trail down his neck to his hard chest under his shirt. “And then, shall we look into your legwork during phasing?” 

“Ehh, fine by me,” Noctis said with a shrug. He snapped his fingers on his attendant. “Hey, eyes on me!” 

He went off, then, to spend half his lifetime in the shower while Prompto scrolled through his pictures and Gladio sorted out his used clothes in his gym bag. 

“Gladio.” Ignis came out to the locker room, then, himself fresh from the shower, dressed now in a stylish leather jacket and a t-shirt with subtle patterns inside. The kind that looked plain on the outside except for the price tag it came with. “A word, if you please?” He nodded to the door leading out to the grounds, putting his sleek black gym bag next to Noctisʼ. 

Scratch what Gladio said— _this_ was his favorite part of the day. 

“So?” Ignis spoke to him quietly as they stood just outside the door, his back to the wall, arms crossed. “Did he eat his vegetables this morning?” 

“Nah.” Gladio braced his hand on his side. “Not even when I turned ‘em into leaf pockets like you said. I even tried to bribe him, said Iʼd excuse him from one training session if he finished ‘em.” 

“And?” 

“Said he was running late and went out the door.” 

“Drats,” Ignis hissed, frowning at his expensive all-terrain shoes. “Heʼs wising up.” 

“Seriously, lemme just mash the things up in a smoothie and pump it all down his throat.” 

“Do you know that we donʼt absorb as much nutrients as we need when we donʼt enjoy the food we eat?” 

“Yeah?” Gladio popped a brow at Ignisʼ quirked lips. “Well, he ainʼt absorbing any vegetables at this rate. Cʼmon, let me bully him. I grew up with him, itʼs gonna be fine.” Typical big brother, he could hear his sister scowling. 

“I would much rather he doesnʼt develop a trauma in eating.” Ignis adjusted his glasses. “At least heʼs still taking his proteins.” 

“Hey, dʼyou know about this rich kid who lived on fries and potatoes all his life, looked healthy but ended up blind at like, 18?” Gladio nodded when Ignis raised both brows at him. “Iʼm serious, I read about it online while I was moogling _how not to be a picky eater_. We gotta stop babying this guy.” 

“Iʼll see what other things we can do,” Ignis said instead. “Is that a new shirt?” 

“Uh…” Gladio cleared his throat, squaring up his shoulders and putting his feet together. “Kinda?” It was a new shirt from 3 weeks ago which he got on a sale. 

“It looks good on you.” To prove it, Ignis actually reached up to pull on his lapel. Gladio felt like he had a mini Pyreburner stirring up the lava in his stomach and then cackling in his tiny evil voice, the way his ears were on fire. “Plus with two buttons down to show off your necklace,” he smiled, drawing back his hand, “you look very stylish.” 

Gladio tried not to giggle like a drunk when he did. “I ermm…” He tugged on his earlobe. “Iʼve got inspiration.” That made Ignis smile brightly, and his heart pop with spilling magma. “Hey, you got plans tonight? Noct and Prompto are having dinner at his place later.” 

“Ah, unfortunately, I promised dinner with Papa. We had this scheduled months back.” 

“After, then? Weʼre probably stayinʼ late.” 

“I have online classes, and I promised Mama I would call.” 

“Geez,” Gladio scratched his head, “you really like keeping busy, donʼt ya?” 

“My apologies,” Ignis chuckled shyly. “Do know, though, that I donʼt do this on purpose.” 

“Yeah, okay.”

“And that…” When he raised his brow and smirked, Gladio could practically feel both eye and lips pointing at him. “If you should ask…I would be more than happy to make time for you.” Talk about floating in the air. 

As in Gladio felt like he had to take in a deep breath just to expand his lungs and fit the balloon inside them. “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I do. Itʼs just that…” 

“I know,” Ignis breathed out quietly through his nose. “I wonʼt rush you. As you said, it would be best for us both to be fully committed and ready when that time finally comes.” 

Gladio stretched out a smile for that. “Yeah.” Not for the first and last time, he caught himself looking into those kind, green eyes, and sighing deep inside him. “Thanks…” 

“Of course,” Ignis replied, then started anew. “Now, for the matter of his dinner…” 

They agreed Gladio would make his specialty shrimp chowder with a side of melba toasts and three dips—one of the few ways they could get _some_ amount of vegetables in their charge. 

“Seriously, Gladio, when are you going to ask the guy out!” 

“Yeah, donʼt you guys already know youʼve got the hots for each other?” 

“Look,” Gladio rejoined his friends in Noctisʼ dinner table with a fresh set of toasts and dips for them. Noctis took two to soak in his creamy soup. “The asking ainʼt the problem. Itʼs the deserving that is.” 

“Gladio,” Noctis took the time to swallow the food in his mouth before he waved his spoon at his retainer, brother and friend, “youʼre going to have to work until youʼre ashes to get anywhere near House Scientiaʼs credit rating.” Gladio never lied about his status in life, after all, least of all to the boy heʼd practically raised to become a man. “Iʼd offer to transfer some of my properties to you and Iris but you wonʼt like that either.” 

“Yeah, and neither would His Majesty.” Gladio reached for the bottle of infused water—another sad attempt of his and Ignisʼ on better nutrition for the prince—and refilled Noctisʼ and Promptoʼs empty glasses. “Plus, I donʼt want Iris and I to wind up in some royal money laundering scandal.” 

“So what I wanted to say,” Noctis took a minute to sip from his water, “is that Ignis doesnʼt care if your clothes arenʼt new or what. Heʼs not that kinda guy!” 

“Doesnʼt he cook for charity or something?” Prompto added. 

Noctis indicated him with his half-empty glass. “Exactly.” 

“Cʼmon, you think I donʼt know that?” Gladio brought his fancy bowl to his lips and took a mouthful. “I wouldnʼt be head over heels with him if he wasnʼt like that! Anyway, just watch me. One day, Iʼll get my arms around that guy soon.” 

Noctis rolled his eyes. “Well, hurry up! Iʼm starting to get allergic from both of your longing looks!” 

At 9:30pm, he and Prompto decided to call it a day and Gladio tossed him the keys to the car so he could practice a little night driving. At a little past 10:30, Gladio was finally home, bearing a couple of leftover gifts from Noctis, his broken jacket, and a long and heavy yawn announcing his presence to his sister who was already in her pyjamas, doing some advanced studies. 

He helped her out until she turned in at midnight, took a hot shower, prepared their stuff for the next day then stayed up a little longer to fix Noctisʼ popped button, yawning again by the light of his phone. When he finally laid down to sleep beside his sister, he browsed his emails for one last time and found a new one from Prompto, with a subject line that went, “ _shield of your heart!!!!!!♡♡♡♡♡_ ” 

It was all his good photos of Ignis during the training session from earlier, ones where he was kicking, ones where he was flipping, even ones where he was just smiling at the camera with a bottle of water in his hand. Gladio felt his chest expand, as if that smile was reserved for him. Since they were kids, he had always been an admirer of the man. He had shown great skill at such a young age and admirable generosity, as well, when he insisted to teach Gladio some basic self-defense. And then through the years, they got closer, and Ignis got longer and broader… 

“Heʼs so handsome,” Gladio sighed, gazing at those serious green eyes while he performed a knife throw in mid-air. 

A small hand patted for his bare arm. He turned off his screen and laid down on his back to see Iris glaring at him and waving her finger. 

“Studies first,” she reminded him in a deep voice. 

Gladio split his face wide open with a grin bright enough to challenge the moon. “Cʼmere, you…!” He grabbed his sister by her shoulders and raised his armpit to her face. Iris squealed and struggled free so she could pinch at his sides with her fingernails, easy to do while he was shirtless 

They called off the brief war when Gladio had trapped her back in her sleeping mat, rolled her in her quilt and wrapped her in his arms. Iris could only shake and giggle, shoulders raised while he pinched the skin behind her neck. “Gladdy, it tickles!!” 

“You gonna go to bed or what?” 

“Okay, I promise!” 

He left her alone, then, and watched her lie down on her back, her eyes closed. 

“Gladdy?” 

“Iris?” Gladio replied, smirking at her stubbornness. 

“Iʼm proud of you,” she told him, with a tone that said it was a reminder of what she thought of her brother. 

What could be sweeter to hear after a long day at work? “Proud of ya, too, Iris,” Gladio replied.


	2. Chapter 2

Rinse and repeat. 

They had Noctisʼ dinner for breakfast with rice (because Iris wanted it with rice) the next day, then he sent her off with some rice balls he made for her that same morning. 

It was a good excuse to be late to the princeʼs apartment; as soon as he had stepped out of his shoes, he was pounding his way into the kitchen. With his large voice, he called out to his charge, “Hey, get your ass off the bed, youʼre running late!” No reply. “You need to join the public welfare council meeting, theyʼre gonna call you in 30 minutes. Have you read the report I left ya?” Still no reply. 

He banged the classy pot on the stove, tossed a fork into an empty bowl beside it. “Sorry I donʼt have time to make you anything fancy! Oatmeal okay?” _That_ brought out the sound of a pair of feet landing on the floor, and then charging for the door. 

When Noctis finally made his appearance, he had a perfect crown of bedhead on, a perfect look of aghast on his face and his pillow in one hand. By then, Gladio was already soaking the noodles he would be using for Noctisʼ breakfast. 

He burst out, laughing in great barks the longer Noctis stared at him. He got the pillow on his face for that. 

After briefing him through his day (“Sooo the public welfare meeting…” “Yeah, itʼs just me.” “Ugh, stop lying to me!!”) and playing with him (in both meanings of the phrase) (“Also, Ignis says your first aqua aerobics class starts at 1:30.” “W, when did he enroll me in aqua aerobics…?”), he drove them both to the Citadel and hurried to his office to finish that presentation he had to do with the public welfare council. 

“Gladio!” 

Ignis was there, of course, as a member of the Crownsguard. Which was to say that his father Clarus Scientia had accepted the meeting invite but eventually sent his son to take his place. Which Gladio, obviously, didnʼt mind, especially not when he looked so damn sharp in his Crownsguard uniform. 

“Hey, Ignis,” he greeted him, all smiles and hearts while he waited for the man to catch up with him. 

“That was a good presentation,” he remarked. The meeting had just ended, then. “You made good use of the limited time, both in preparation and delivery.” 

“Oh, ya think?” Gladio put on a little shy laughter, though he had to catch his hand before it touched his nape. Heʼd just gotten a compliment on his work from his crush and now he was walking side by side him. His heart was beating just a little stronger. He caught the mild notes of peppermint and roses from Ignisʼ perfume. “Lady Astra sure doesnʼt think so. Gotta improve on my answering skills, I guess.” 

“Oh please. While I wonʼt deny that it may not sound so impressive to use the words ‘ _yeah, so_ ʼ and ‘ _kinda_ ʼ in a meeting with this lot,” he nodded his head backwards to indicate the room they had just left, “we all know Lady Astra only has eyes on her personal assistant.” An office gossip that turned out to hold water. She had been Gladio and Noctisʼ flavor of the month once, when theyʼd caught Astra and her assistant in a private…reconnaissance late one night. Theyʼd been on their way back to his bedroom, then, after a prank they pulled on a particularly annoying guard. 

“Well, youʼre not wrong,” Gladio snorted and laughed. “Makes you wonder how much she pays him. Twelve years a personal assistant with no ambitions for a promotion? Give me a break.” 

“At this rate, the Citadel ought to be scared about letting him go. What secrets he must know by now.”

“Right?” Gladio chuckled with Ignis in agreement. “You off to lunch?” 

“Indeed.” Ignis nodded. “And you?” 

“Yeah.” Gladio flexed his shoulders back. “Finally. My first lunch break in like, a week.” 

“Gladio, you mustnʼt disregard yourself simply for the sake of beating a few deadlines,” Ignis sighed, though he had a little smile on his face. “If you fall, so will the prince.” 

“You putting it that way kinda makes me feel guilty now.” Gladio scratched the faded part of his hair. 

“I am simply stating some facts. Besides,” Ignis poked his biceps, “your muscles will thank you for the proper digestion.” 

“Ignis…” Gladio wanted to tell him to stop making him blush but how? 

“Did I hit a nerve?” Ignis smiled at him knowingly. “Then allow me to make it up to you. Let me buy you lunch. If this is your first proper break in a week, then I insist that you must enjoy it thoroughly.” 

“Hey, cʼmon now, you donʼt have to—” 

“I,” Ignis repeated himself, taking him by the wrist. “Insist. Besides, you can make it up to me by indulging me on a favor. Now, shall we?” 

Lunch for a Scientia, of course, was a full traditional Lucian set that almost made Gladio feel guilty that he wasnʼt enjoying the luxury with his sister. He might not have finished his entire tray with how full he was if he wasnʼt feeling embarrassed with wasting food, and Ignisʼ money and kindness. 

In any case, it was the energy he needed to meet the apple of his eye in a personal match. 

Heʼd barely gotten his shield up before Ignis was slashing at him with his daggers in persistent spins. He would have driven him to the wall if Gladio hadnʼt stepped off to the side, called back his glaive and discouraged Ignisʼ advances with an upward cut. 

Back and forth they went, a pair of dancers with their own language taking the entire training hall for a spin. For all that Gladio tried, though, Ignisʼ defenses were nigh impenetrable. No matter how wide he cut or how often he startled the future Kingʼs Shield with his drastic attacks, invasive charges and powerful blows, he always seemed to get his wall back up at the last breath. Every dodge and catch was a reminder for Gladio of what else he needed to learn, how much further he had to go. 

He lasted all of 15 minutes. With his glaive and shield shattering into sparkling crystals, he laid sprawled and defeated on the ground after a well-placed kick had convinced him to stop moving. He couldnʼt even do much when Ignis formalized his victory with a blade on his neck, and a smile as he wheezed, “Good fight.” Gladio had lost, but since he got another compliment from Ignis, he would take that as a win. 

After a quick cool down session, they freshened up at the menʼs room and got dressed for the rest of the day. With 30 minutes to spare before his next meeting, Gladio took the opportunity to ask Ignis for his verdict on his performance. 

“Your improvement is vast,” Ignis told him, finishing up his updo by the pocket mirror. “You need to know as much. Perhaps all that is left is to polish you up on some of your rough edges. Your response time, your recoil—” 

“Aw, cʼmon, Ignis,” Gladio laughed, shrugging on his blazer. “Give it to me hard.” 

“There is no need—” 

“I mean it, Ignis,” Gladio said, pulling at his cuffs. “I know I dress nice when I gotta but my skinʼs tougher than silk.” 

A play of words that made Ignis snort and smile at the same time. “If you insist on me being rude about your best.” After a deep breath, he went right for it, “You have this manner of moving jumpily when you think youʼve finally gotten me and when I push you back to the defensive, you become a clutz. You try to juggle too much at once and it only makes you look and move worse. Your concentration is obviously not in the right place—you think only of beating me for the benefits you would reap and not for the honor of achieving something greater.” 

“Hey, thatʼs not—” 

“You asked me to be rude so I was rude,” Ignis cut him off, brow high. “Now will you listen to my real words?” Chastised so effectively and politely, Gladio found himself biting his lips. “Good. I will repeat myself—your improvement is vast. Perhaps, by virtue of still losing to me, we can conclude that there is yet work for you to do. However, just because you did not achieve your desired ending, I think that should not dissuade you from taking a well-deserved reward for your hard work.” At this, he raised a little smile. “Which I will not have the heart to deny you.” Any more of this and Gladio might really convince himself to shift his principles a little. 

“I, Ignis—” he began—

Ignisʼ phone started to sing with a special tune. “I apologize,” he moved with a little bit of alarm as he pulled it from his pocket, “but I must take this.” He put the phone on his ear. “Lord Scientia. No—indeed?” He looked at his bag in some alarm. He pulled it readily to his shoulder. “Why, thatʼs not how we planned that. Certainly, Iʼll be there.” He turned round eyes to Gladio and gave him a little nod. 

Gladio flashed a smile of understanding and waved. 

“Yes, of course, Iʼll take care of it,” Ignis promised his father on his way out of the locker room. “Iʼll set up a meeting in an hour. Do send me again the updated list when you can, so I can present it to the board…” 

Gladio sang out a wistful sigh as soon as he was alone, eyes lingering on the path Ignis had taken. _Shield of my heart,_ he thought, while cursing Prompto for imprinting that in his head, _you can never break my heart…_

—

The rest of his day went swimmingly from there. After Noctisʼ required appearances, Gladio carted him to start his shift with the restaurant where he left him in Promptoʼs care. He would stay there until closing time.

Which meant that Gladio and Iris could enjoy dinner together for the first time in three days, making it a special occasion for Iris who insisted to have one of her classic favorites to celebrate. 

“And whatʼll that be?” 

“Curry!!” she declared with her fists pumping upwards. 

Or so it would have been, if not for the surprise visitor who had announced his presence with three polite knocks. Gladio made a point to announce that he would be there in a minute while he put the rice on and dried his hands on his jeans. One of the perks of living in a small space, really, was that he didnʼt need to journey far to answer the door. 

Downside was, it wasnʼt anywhere near luxurious enough to receive their guest. “Hey—Ignis!” And he looked very stylish outside of his uniform, too—this time in a leather blazer zipped up halfway and a textured gray polo shirt. While Gladio was just in one of his BOGO tank tops. There was something incredibly wrong with this picture. 

“Hello, Gladio,” Ignis greeted him back, as calm as Gladio was surprised. When Iris cried for his attention with a thrilled, “Iggy!” he waved at her, as well. “Have you finished dinner yet?” 

“Uh, n, no, we…” Gladio jutted a thumb over to his shoulder. “I was just about to get started. Wanna join us?” How embarrassing, they were just going to have curry. 

Ignis tipped his head. “I would be delighted. In that case,” he raised the heavy white plastic bag he carried in one hand, “allow me.” 

This wasnʼt the first time Ignis had visited them with food, but this was probably the first time he was cooking for them with only a minimal help from Gladio, like he was teaching him one of the recipes for Noctis but at the same time…not. He made them some shell pasta mixed with chickatrice breast cuts, chickatrice fat, tomato and mushroom and then on the side, some shaved green salad drizzled in citrus vinaigrette. 

Iris didnʼt last the night after that full meal and had fallen hopelessly asleep. Gladio had to tuck her in her sleeping mat while Ignis made them both some coffee. 

“I havenʼt seen her this full in a while,” Gladio chuckled, sitting beside Ignis in their long narrow table, facing the wall. “Really, I canʼt thank ya enough.” 

“Please,” Ignis chuckled, “itʼs just dinner.” 

“Yeah, and coffee and some extra food in the fridge and now this.” Gladio raised the rice ball he was shaping from the rice heʼd just cooked, which he then passed on to Ignis who would tuck it in foil wrap for later consumption. “This ainʼt just dinner, this is food for days.” 

“Well, you are always busy with Noct and then Iris.” Ignis shrugged. “I simply thought I might lend a hand.” 

“You’re always busy yourself.” 

“For you, I made time.” Ignis smiled. 

There it was again—the rush of heat to Gladioʼs cheeks. He coughed out a beat of embarrassed laughter, took his cup of coffee and sipped from it. 

Ignis smiled knowingly, then glanced past his bulk to the sealed door leading into their bedroom. “How is school for her, by the way?” 

Gladio nodded, wrapping one side of his riceball carefully in seaweed. “Sheʼs doing great. I got a little worried when they put her in the student council but sheʼs a fighter.” He passed his finished product to Ignis, then pulled for more cling wrap. “And anyway, I canʼt complain. The fact that sheʼs getting this much attention from a royal school means sheʼll be set for life, and thatʼs more than what my parents and I can ask for. Imagine,” he started to laugh, scooping up the last of the rice to the plastic, “the royal family paid for both their kidsʼ education. They can pretty much retire in Duscae now.” 

“Theyʼre doing well?” 

Gladio nodded. “Rent out thereʼs much cheaper than here. Howʼs your mom, by the way?” Finally, he handed the last of the rice balls to his friend. “You get to chat with her?” 

“Yes,” Ignis answered, covering the food in the foil. “Nothingʼs changed with her or Tenebrae. And even if you arenʼt curious, I would have you know that she did ask me again about that boy—” 

“Ignis.” 

“—I liked—what?” Ignis sighed, letting the foil ball roll off his hand. “It is true, though, you know how much I admire you.” 

“Yeah,” Gladio said, getting up to bring the rice pot and scooper to the kitchen. “I do, I know. And you know how much I like you back.” 

“Yes,” Ignis agreed readily. 

“Yeah.” Gladio let the leftover rice soak in the water while he rinsed his hand. “So you know how much—”

“Oh gods,” Ignis groaned, dropping his forehead to the back of his wrist. 

“—I wanna make sure I deserve you, right?” 

“Sincerely, I want to go back to myself one year ago and stab me in the face.” 

“Look, Past Ignis ainʼt wrong.” Gladio leaned back against the sink, drying his hand on the dish towel. “You donʼt deserve a lesser man.” 

“A _lesser_ man? Gladio, may I repeat myself?” Ignis got up to join him in the sink. He wanted to wash his hands, too. “I only told you that I would go out with you only when youʼve beaten me in single combat because I was still uncertain about my feelings for you, then!” 

“Ignis, Iʼm the guy who wants to date you, so I gotta be the one to step up.” 

“You have,” Ignis turned to face him, running the soap through his fingers, “done more stepping up than you know. On top of your duties to the Crown, you have raised Noct and Iris and now, see how high they raise their chins! Iris is a consistent honor student and Noct has never been late in any of his attendances in _years_. And youʼve managed to keep them both healthy and well-rounded, as well.” 

“Well, theyʼre not difficult kids…” 

“I donʼt believe Iʼve told you about what Papa told me over dinner two days ago,” Ignis pressed on, rinsing the soap off his hands. “He asked me if I was the one who taught Noct how to roll a shirt in his socks because he caught him once pulling one out like a magic trick, and then using his Monicaʼs flat iron to ease out the wrinkles.” 

Gladio snorted at that anecdote. “Good to know heʼs actually applying it.” 

“Indeed.” Ignis wasnʼt finished. He took the towel from Gladioʼs grasp to wipe his hands on. “Imagine, the crown prince who would one day inherit all of us applying practical measures to a problem he can just command someone to solve. Now I wonder who taught him that kind of humility and that trick for survival?” 

“Ignis,” Gladio sighed, “you know, I ainʼt gonna lie but it feels great, hearing these things from you.” He shook his head, spreading his hands out. “But I donʼt wanna ask you to settle for just whatever I can give you.” 

“Gladio,” Ignis huffed, “you are not to use the word ‘settleʼ on yourself.” He gesticulated towards him. “Perhaps you think these feats are nothing but for others,” he put his hand on his chest, “for myself, they are already nothing short of impressive.” 

“You really think theyʼre that good?” 

Ignis stared at him. “Absolutely.” 

Gladio grinned. “Then wait ‘til I beat you in single combat.” That would be more impressive, even for himself. 

Ignisʼ mouth fell open at his rebuttal, and how easily he fell for it. After a couple of false starts, his frustration got the better of him, ‘causing him to hang his head back with a deep groan.

—

“Noct, turn that damn thing off, we have to go.”

No good. Noctisʼ hands were still attached to his gamepad and _he_ was still attached to the corner of his sofa which was littered with empty packets of junk food and a serial comic magazine. 

“Noooct,” Gladio sang from his place by the kitchen. 

“I know, I heard you the first time!” Noctis clicked his tongue and snarled, pulling at his controller, as if he was dodging something on the screen. “Give me 10 minutes.” Ten minutes, he said. 

Gladio warned him with a finger. “Iʼll give you 15 minutes. Turn that damn thing off, by then, if you donʼt want me to pull the plug.” So he started counting. In the meantime, he made his way to Noctisʼ bedroom to collect his clothes strewn all over the floor and piling up on The Chair to stuff them in the reusable laundry bag he kept at the bottom of Noctisʼ closet. He fluffed the pillows, made the bed, dragged the full bag out to the living room so he could come back for it later. 

He still had 9 minutes to go, and Noctis was flipping through dialogues on the screen. So Gladio went on to pick up the trash lying around his living room, wash the cups of coffee and plates of cake on his glass table… 

“Did you have anyone over last night?” 

“Nope.” Still glued to the TV. 

Gladio checked the clock. “Three minutes, Noct.” Noct responded with a tired sigh. “You gotta be in the restaurant by 11.” 

“I know, I knooow.” He was mashing his fingers on the buttons. 

Gladio spent the time checking his email and accepting meeting invites. At the third minute, he gave out his final reminder: “Okay, timeʼs up, we gotta go.” 

“In a minute, let me just save this.” 

“I already gave you 15! I even gave you an extra 5 now turn that damn thing off!” 

“Iʼm in the middle of a plot point!” 

“Just come back to it later!” Gladio countered but it was clear in Noctisʼ attention that he wasnʼt entertaining that idea. “Iʼm giving you up to 3, Noct, this is my last warning. One-thousand three,” he began, waiting for the prince to respond. “One-thousand two.” Noctis moved his foot to the floor, but that was the farthest he was willing to go. “One-thousand one-and-a-half!” Still no dice.

Gladio huffed, stepping away from the kitchen. “Donʼt say I didnʼt warn ya.” 

Come the next minute, Gladio would be swinging them both out of the apartment and locking the front door—while the prince was kicking and screaming where he carried him over his shoulder. 

“ _Let me gooo!!_ ” 

“I gave you a chance, Noct!” 

“I donʼt have shoes on!!” 

“Youʼve got shoes at the back of the car, theyʼll do.” 

“Put. Me. Down!” Every beat matched with fists landing on Gladioʼs broad back. He was still kicking his socked feet. 

“Noct,” Gladio pulled another warning tone on him as he made his way to the lift. “You keep shoutinʼ, people are gonna look.” 

“Even if I donʼt shout, theyʼll look, anyway, ‘cause youʼre carrying me like a dead body!” 

“You wanna touch the floor?” Gladio pushed the down button. 

“No!” Noctis scowled. 

The compromise, then, was a piggyback ride, though Noctis was still sulking over his shoulder even when no one bothered to stop the ride to the basement parking. 

In the car, Gladio gave him time to put on his shoes while he sighed to his reflection on the mirror. “Noct,” he began. “One day, youʼre gonna have to drop whatever it is youʼre doing in a snap when the people start crying for your attention.” 

“I know,” Noctis muttered. “Iʼm not a kid anymore, I know that!” 

“So do it!” Gladio snapped. “Iʼm not even calling you a kid anymore but you gotta understand, you have to be responsible for what you have!” 

“Gladio, what does this have anything to do with my future?!” Noctis barked at him. 

“Everything, dammit!” Gladio snarled back, still using the mirror to face his glare. “I know you never asked to be born in this family but you are! You got all these blessings and curses you never asked for but what can you do?” He tossed his hand. “You already got ‘em, and you canʼt give them away. Theyʼre never gonna leave you alone so you might as well deal with them. You think Iʼm doing this job ‘cause itʼs my dream?” His hand to his chest. “You think Ignis is your Shield ‘cause he submitted an application and got hired?” 

“I donʼt want to talk about this.” Noctis glared at the window, crossing his arms. 

“Somehow, we got this kind of life because of sheer dumb luck so we might as well live with it ‘cause itʼs the only one we got—” 

“I said I donʼt wanna talk about this!” Noctis cried, fuming at his reflection. All this, just because of a game… 

Gladio sighed. How could Ignis think he had done right by the prince? At this rate, heʼll never fit the throne. “Fine,” he switched on the engine, warning him with a finger, “but you better be thinking about this.” 

The prince wouldnʼt talk to him the whole time he drove him to the restaurant. But at least, he wouldnʼt be pulling this stunt again anytime soon, he thought, now that he knew what Gladio was ready to do. 

And to be fair, this wasnʼt his worst episode in a while. As soon as Gladio had left, he received a text message from him that said, _don't turn off my game, just leave it to rest. thanks for taking the trouble to bring me to work on time._ It was a long way off from an apology, but Gladio would take it. Baby steps.

—

It took them an entire day before they met again, and actually got talking for real. All tension and disappointments melted away, as if they hadnʼt quarreled just this morning.

“Reapertail.” 

“Swords.” 

“Mesmenirs.” 

“Daggers and glaives.” 

Gladio hummed briefly as he thought up of more creatures in the wild, driving on to the next stoplight, flashing green in the night sky. “Dualhorns.” 

“Shields and spears.” 

“Anaks?” 

“Ahhh, stop this!” Noctis snapped, his fists landing like drum beats on the car seat. “Iʼm tired, okay? I donʼt wanna think about Ignisʼ stupid lessons!” 

“You were doing great, though,” Gladio laughed. 

Noctis shifted closer to him to glare at him from the side, his face on the back of the passengerʼs seat. “Are you my Shield? Do you wanna be my Shield?” 

“Weʼd probably end up hating each other if I became your Shield,” Gladio chuckled. 

“So stop it.” Noctis poked him on his cheek. “Stop being annoying.” 

“Highness, Iʼm driving.” That finger was still bouncing on his face. 

“Let’s stop for drive-thru, then.” 

“Highneeess.” 

“Gladiooo, Iʼm hungry,” Noctis sung back, persistent with his finger. 

“Didnʼt you eat in the restaurant?” 

“I donʼt wanna eat fish.” 

“Cʼmon, you already used your fast food card this week.” 

“Whatʼs my fast food card!” Noctis snapped, pulling his hand back. “If we stop for drive-thru, Iʼll tell you a secret about Ignis.” 

“Hey, Noct, look at that,” Gladio leaned low to look at a lighted signage just ahead of them, “that looks like a _Crowʼs Nest_. Do you wanna stop for drive-thru?” 

Drive-thru eventually became dine-in when the line leading into the take-out counter looked too long. 

They each had a double patty burger that came with a side of fries and soda and spent the next few minutes enjoying their meal in silence. 

“So?” Gladio prompted him after finishing his burger. He spread out the laminated paper on the table so he could squeeze out packets of ketchup on it while Noctis combined their fries on the same sheet. “Whatʼs that secret?” 

“Donʼt get angry, okay?” Noctis stuffed some fries into his mouth, dabbed his hands on a paper napkin then pulled out his phone. 

“What the hell?” Gladio frowned, dipping some fries into the ketchup. “Why would I—” 

“Ignis has a secret admirer.” And as proof, Noctis showed him a picture of the busy man on his desk, taken from the side where a colorful vase of flowers also stood. 

Gladioʼs eyes went wide and his mouth fell open, at the same time that he dropped his fries. Flowers—someone had gotten his crush flowers. His crush who had been waiting on him for ages to make the move… 

He never even got him a single stalk of rose since it was never in his weekly budget.

—

Heʼd never driven them faster to the Citadel the next morning.

“Hey, Gladio, youʼre not even going to wait for me?” 

“You’re a big boy, already. Catch up!” was Gladioʼs only rebuttal. After he had parked the car, he grabbed Noctisʼ stuff from the back and was already marching straight to the training hall while Noctis was still stepping out of the vehicle. The prince would have to understand that while he remained to be his number 1 priority, for this occasion, he had more pressing matters in his head.

“Gladio!” Noctis stumbled after him, tripping into the wide room where his Shield was already going through some basic stretching exercises. Right where Gladio needed him. His heart jumped suddenly, like a kid on his way to his shots. “Hey, Gladio, wait up!” This was it. 

“Ignis!” Gladio cried out to the man, dropping Noctisʼ bag on the floor. Ignis straightened up to meet him, looking completely unfazed by his brash mood. Long form, immaculate posture…this was it, this was _it_. 

Taking a deep breath, he belted out the words he never thought he would ever have the courage to voice out: “I hereby challenge you to single combat!”

—

Those words were probably the only things he could hear in his head the whole day…which pretty much got in the way of everything he did, even earning him a glowering reprimand from his uncle but what could he do? Someone was out there, stealing his man and while he was no warrior, he certainly wasnʼt about to lose to some flowers!

Which was why he was now back in the training hall, putting on a brave face and ready to get his ass kicked with how little prepared he was. It did occur to him that this was probably what would convince Ignis that he wasnʼt worth the effort but whatever—you canʼt win the lottery without buying a lotto ticket. This was his last chance; he had to strike now or forever hold his peace. 

“Gladio, you serious?” Prompto hissed from the bench while he wore his glaive over his shoulders and did a few crouches with its weight. “You’re really gonna take the Shield of the King on?” He couldnʼt even answer his friend with how nervous he was. 

“Apparently, thatʼs their agreement,” Noctis muttered to his friend next to him, stepping up for Gladio. “If he gets to beat Ignis in a duel, then he has to go out with him.” 

“Did you give him any tips?” Prompto sounded a little panicked. 

Noctis tossed his hand. “Well, I tried…” 

“Shall we set the rules, Gladio?” Ignis began suddenly, finding his place across the room, his polearm pointing down the floor. With the orange glow of sunset dressing the empty space in the middle, he looked like he was standing under its spotlight, ready to take the stage by storm. Gladio waved to his two friends who rooted for him and pumped their fists in support. This was it, there was no turning back. He breathed in and out deeply. 

“Iʼll follow whatever rules ya like, Ignis,” Gladio announced boldly to the room, standing in front of him. Pretending he wasnʼt shaking to his toes. Gods, he was about to face up to the _Shield of the King_! He rested the pommel of his glaive onto his shoulder. “Name them!” cried the fool. 

“I figure Best of Three might suit us perfectly.” Ignis stepped with one foot forward, holding his spear by the hand further back. “Noct, would you care to do the honors?” 

“Yeah,” Noctis piped up, then cleared his throat. “Uh…in three. Two. One— _fight!_ ” 

Gladio broke through Ignisʼ guard with a wide cut, and followed it through with several spinning blows which forced him into the defensive. Noctis and Prompto came alive with howls in support at the back of the room. 

Which changed as soon as Ignis rolled to his side and struck outwards with the point of his spear. Gladio realized too late that it was a feint to get him scrambling for his advantage which was what Ignis needed to launch his own volley of attacks on his shield. Did Gladio really think he could beat him? 

“Cʼmon, Gladio, push back!!” Noctis roared. 

“Aim for his side!” Prompto screeched. 

He tried, whirling to Ignisʼ open left. Ignis drew his knife hands back to retrieve his polearm and spin it readily to block whatever Gladio had in mind. There was no way he was going to get through that kind of barrier. 

So he did what any fool would do—he gambled. He threw his best shot and hoped for the best. 

With a mighty grunt, Gladio swung his shield back and smashed it onto the ground. The quake that rippled upwards caught Ignis by surprise and with a grunt of his own, he landed on his back a few paces from their meeting point. 

Noctis and Prompto were screaming indecipherable noises, bouncing high on their heels. “Thatʼs one!” one of them cried. “Thatʼs one!!” Which meant, he just needed one more point, then—

“Not bad!” Ignis smirked, folding his knees closer to the floor while he aimed his spear at Gladio like some deadly billiard stick. That brought his glaive back to his shoulder in alarm. “Good warm-up.” He was just warming up?! 

“Oh yeah?” Gladio laughed haughtily. Nervously. “Uh…yeah!” 

Blades landed on each other again, Ignisʼ spearhead scratching like a wild cat on the broad side of Gladioʼs sword as they went around the room like a frantic cyclone. At some crazed moment of battle, Gladio had the idea of catching Ignisʼ blade by the slats of his and twisting his weapon to pull it free from the future Shieldʼs grasp. 

Somehow that worked. Ignis had the look of surprise on his face to see himself so easily disarmed so Gladio charged while he was wide open, rolling forward and then swinging his blade upwards to connect his sword face to Ignisʼ front. 

Missed him by a wide mark—Ignis had flipped back for space and then regained his polearm. Well, that had been a nice moment while it lasted. 

Ignis was instantly upon him in two heartbeats, throwing a wild upwards cut with his dagger which Gladio caught by the face of his shield. He tried to shove him back for space but with how manic Ignis was moving against him, it was all Gladio could do to keep up. 

“Gladio, donʼt give up!” Prompto wailed. 

Gladio jumped back and rolled forward. He came back up to his feet with a roar and a diagonal swing of his glaive which Ignis blocked with his spear and shoved away. Gladio followed the motion with a whirl, carried his sword over his shoulder and jumped forward, ready to strike. Ignis broke his polearm into two daggers, danced closer and slashed upwards with his backhanded grip. Too close. 

Gladio let his panic consume him as he fell back, trying to evade the incoming steel. Too late. 

He squeezed his eyes shut. Like a matchstick scratching up the surface of sandpaper, he felt the sharp kiss of fire trailing up to his left brow. Noctisʼ frightened scream rang truest in the air as he landed on his back, numb and throbbing at the same time. 

“Gladio! _Gladio!!_ ” 

“Oh gods, no— _Gladio!!_ ” 

Several sounds landed around him. Gladio opened his eyes and saw red on one side. 

“Donʼt open your left eye,” Ignis choked. He sounded and looked a little scared, green eyes wide in the midst of his rosy face. What was going on? What happened? Why was there red? Was he blind? Was he going blind? “Noct,” he turned to the prince who looked pale with trauma, “get some towels from the locker room! We must stop the bleeding.” Bleeding?! He was _bleeding?!_

“I, is he gonna die?!” Prompto wailed as Noct disappeared. 

“Certainly not!” Ignis snapped at the younger man. 

“B, b, but thereʼs so much blood!!” Blood…oh gods, he was bleeding. He was going to die. He was going to bleed out to death! What about Noct? Or Iris? What would happen to them if he left them? He hadnʼt even kissed Ignis yet! 

“Get the car. The keys should be in Gladioʼs slacks. Noct and I will get him ready. Weʼre going to the hospital.” Towels tumbled out of the returning princeʼs arms. One of them went to his face. Ignis carried his hand to pin it down. “Gladio,” he beckoned to him, sparing him a smile. “Weʼre taking you to the hospital.” Hospital… 

Astrals and their Messengers on high, he really was going to die.

—

That was the last thing he remembered.

When he came to, he was in a different room. There was the sound of machines on one side, the muted television in front of him and then the gentle buzz of something else. His shirt felt flimsy and a little stiff, something was blocking one of his eyes and there was something on his left wrist that made movement feel a little uncomfortable. 

“Gladio?” 

And then there was that gentle voice, and those soft green eyes coming into view. The man was dressed in his black leather jacket and a white shirt now. 

Ignis heaved out a breath of relief, and smiled. “Good evening, Gladio.” 

“Evening…?” he mumbled. 

Ignis nodded. A hand came up to brush his hair. “We had to sedate you. Between the rush of battle and your panicking, you were bleeding heavily. Youʼre in Insomnia Medical Center right now. During our spar, I accidentally slashed the left side of your face. Itʼs under wraps right now, and I believe youʼre still feeling the effects of the painkiller.” Oh, so that was why his face felt weird. 

“Is it bad?” Gladio asked with a croaking voice. 

“Itʼs a clean cut.” Despite that, Ignis couldnʼt smile without guilt. “However, Iʼm afraid a scar is highly likely…” 

“Oh…” 

“Iʼm terribly sorry, Gladio,” Ignis frowned. “I shouldnʼt have gotten in your way.” 

“Well,” Gladio cleared his throat. Ignis got up suddenly and went around his bed. He followed him from the pillow. “We were fighting…” He trailed off when he saw the size of the room, which felt like it was only a little smaller than his and Irisʼ whole _house_. “Oh wow…” And, it was also brighter and newer, with wood panels on certain parts of the walls and stylish spotlights dotting the ceiling. And this was just one room… 

Ignis reappeared with a half-full cup. “Gently now,” he said, tilting the rim closer to Gladioʼs lips. “Iris dropped by while you were asleep. She brought some of the rice balls we prepared the other night and some seaweed soup she made herself.” 

“Iris,” Gladio started up a little until Ignis caught him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “How is she? Did she wait for me to wake up?” 

Ignis nodded. “Sheʼll be staying in the mansion for now. Iʼve told Papa, and Jared has come to pick her up. You may have to call her later.” 

Gladio exhaled, settling again into his pillow. “Okay…sorry for the trouble, Ignis.” 

“No.” Ignis shook his head. “ _Iʼm_ sorry for the trouble.” 

“Ignis…” 

“Noct told me what happened.” Ignis frowned. “He said he showed you the picture of the flowers last night. That wasnʼt real, Gladio.” 

“The flowers?” 

Ignis nodded. “They belonged to my fatherʼs secretary whose wedding anniversary was yesterday. It came from her husband. Noct and Prompto only set it up in such a way that it looked like I was the one who received the flowers.” 

“Why?” Was it a joke he didnʼt get? 

“Because I got impatient.” Ignis shrugged with a sorry smile. “I couldnʼt wait for you to ask me out so I asked Noct and Promptoʼs help. After we had dinner at your place, we met in Noctʼs apartment to discuss our options.” So those cups of coffee and plates of cake… “And now…because I forced your hand…!” 

“Hey,” Gladio chuckled, lifting his right hand. Ignis caught it readily in his left. “Itʼs just a scar, right?” A scar…and nothing more. No secret admirers, no contests with someone better, richer. 

Ignis nodded. “The doctor will come back to see you tomorrow but she seems convinced that itʼs a straightforward path to recovery from here.” 

“You donʼt mind that Iʼm ugly now?” 

Ignis snorted, bringing his hand to his cheek. “You can never be ugly to me, Amicitia. I will happily take you however way I can.” Even when he couldnʼt beat him in single combat, and probably never would…but what was it they said? It was all fun and games until someone lost an eye. 

Or almost lost it. Gladio figured that was a sign as good as any that it was time to forget the past. If Ignis said he didnʼt mind taking him as he was now, in all his imperfections, then… “Then I guess…that means that when I get out of here, you wouldnʼt mind grabbing dinner with me sometime?” An invitation he punctuated with a hopeful smile, despite knowing what Ignisʼ answer would be. 

With a sparkle in his eyes and his own happy smile, Ignis accepted. “Iʼd be delighted.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you had fun! thanks for reading!! o///


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